Cigarette lighter



Dec. 10, 1935. A. M. ANDREWS ET AL CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Aug. 15, 1934 Aww' 2mal

. 9 I... I'Illlvill i g2 IN ENTORS BY dll/Vy 5 z f ATTORNEY?) Patented Dec. 10, 1935 PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE LIGHTER Archie M. Andrews, Greenwich, Conn., and

Aaron, New York, N. Y., assignors to Platinum Products Company, New York, N.

ration of New Jersey Application August 15, 1934, Serial No. 739,854

8 Claims.

This invention relates to catalytic lighters for cigars and cigarettes.

A general object of the invention is to provide such a lighter having improved characteristics facilitating its ease and reliability of operation. More specifically, objects of the invention are to provide a catalytic lighter, wherein the catalyst is constantly open to the atmosphere and is cut o from communication with the fuel supply during periods of nonuse, so that it is not subjected to saturation or smothering by the fuel and is always in proper condition for ready and reliable action.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth 20.- and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a. fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the center of a lighter embodying principles of the present invention, and showing it in the nonoperative position which it assumes during periods of non-use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to Fig. l but showing the lighter in its operative position; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The present lighter is preferably of the catalytic glow type wherein a suitable catalyst, such as platinum oxide, is subjected to a draft of combined air and hydrocarbon fuel, whereupon it becomes incandescent. If such a catalyst is constantly exposed to the presence of the fuel, it becomes saturated or smothered and this greatly increases the difliculty of, or prevents securing the desired incandescence. Also, with some types of lighters heretofore in use, the catalyst has been encased with the fuel supply during non-use, and even though an effort is made to keep the catalyst and fuel supply separated, it has been found that there sometimes is a seepage of hydrocarbon fumes through to the vicinity of the catalyst with consequent condensation of liquid fuel on or near the catalyst. The present invention is intended to obviate these difliculties.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

there is shown a lower casing element I0 of hollow thlmble construction which is internally screw threaded at its upper edge to receive a union I I. This union is in the form of a hollow sleeve having a downwardly extending portion I2 which 5 is externally screw-threaded for attachment to the upper end of lower casing I0, and an upwardly extending portion I3 which is similarly externally screw-threaded for screw attachment with an upper casing element Il. The union Il 10 also is provided with a plurality of airports I5 which are suitably spaced about its periphery and are located in extension I3 in position to be covered by upper casing element Il when the latter is screwed tight.

'I'hese described parts in eifect comprise a casing formed of telescopically related sections, the lower section comprising casing element I0 and the union II, and the upper section comprising casing element Il.

A catalyst I6 is coniined between a catalyst holder Il and a retaining disk I8 o1' mica or the like and this entire unit is tightly pressed into the upper end of casing element I 4 so that it in effect becomes a single unit therewith. The cat- 25 alyst may be of any suitable form, being illustrated in the present case as a perforate block of platinum oxide, although other suitable forms and materials are contemplated. A split ring I9 underlies the holder I1 and aids in keeping it 30 pressed tightly against the end wall of the upper casing element. This end wall is provided with an opening 20 which is in registry with the catalyst and affords access thereto for the end of a cigarette. The sides of this opening are prefer- 35 ably `beveled as shown to assist in guiding the end of the cigarette into igniting relation with the catalyst.

A hollow tube 2| is rigidly fastened to and projects below holder I'I, the open upper end of this 40 tube being spaced from the under side of the per forate catalyst as shown, in order to communicate readily with all parts of the catalyst. Tube 2| when the device is operative extends nearly to the bottom of lower casing element I0, in such 45 position that when the upper casing element I4 is screwed to its closed position, the lower end 22 of the tube engages a compressible block 23 of rubber or other suitable material which is seated on and may be regarded as unitary with the closed lower wall of casing element I 0. This cuts oi communication between the catalyst and the interior of the casing.

A fuel containing absorbent body 24 surrounds tube 2| and is clamped thereto between holder 55 I1 and a washer 25 which is screwed to the lower portion of the tube. The absorbent body 24 is suiilciently compressed or felted to be self sustaining and is movable as a unit with upper casing element Il. The casing sections, when screwed together, provide a fuel chamber having its side walls spaced from body 24 so that when the parts are in the position of Fig- 2, air may pass from ports I5 to tube 2l as shown by the arrows.

In operation, the absorbent body 24 is impregnated with a suitable hydrocarbon fuel. For this purpose the upper casing element may be screwed entirely of! the union II so that the body 2l may be immersed in a fluid fuel. When the casing element Il has been returned to threaded relation with union I I, it may be screwed down tightly thereover until it covers and seals ports I5, while the tube 22 effects sealing contact with block 23, in which condition the lighter may be kept during periods of non-use. It will be seen that the catalyst is cut off from communication with the fuel supply, and, further, that even if fumes from the fuel source were to seep through into tube 2I, they may be freely dissipated without harmful smothering of the catalyst because such catalyst and the interior of the tube are always open to the atmosphere. When it is desired to ignite a cigarette, the casing element I4 is partially unscrewed so as to expose air ports I5 and to permit communication between the interior of the casing and tube 2|. A cigarette is placed closely adjacent the catalyst, and as the user draws thereon, a current of air is drawn through inlets I5 down around the fuel containing body 2l, where it mixes with fuel fumes, and thence upwardly through tube 2l into contact with the catalyst. The catalyst becomes incandescent in the presence of this combined fuel and air and ignites the cigarette.

It will be seen that there has been provided a construction which is extremely simple, sturdy and reliable, and which is well suited to fulfill its intended functions. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A catalytic lighter comprising in combination, a casing comprising two relatively movable telescopic sections having a fuel chamber therein, a catalyst mounted in an end of one of said sections for movement therewith, the end of said section having a constantly exposed opening adjacent said catalyst for exposing it to a cigarette and to the atmosphere, a conduit mounted on said first mentioned section affording the sole communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber, means for admitting air into said fuel chamber, and means in the remaining section for cooperation with an open end of said conduit whereby relative movement of said sections closes communication between said catalyst and fuel chamber while maintaining said opening in its completely exposed condition.

2. A catalytic lighter comprising in combination, a casing comprising two telescopic sections 5 mutually screw threaded for relative movement, said casing having a fuel chamber, a catalyst mounted in one of said sections for movement therewith, said section having a constantly exposed opening adjacent said catalyst for ex- 10 posing it to a cigarette and to the atmosphere, means affording communication between said catalyst and fuel chamber, means for admitting air into said fuel chamber, and means operable upon screwing said sections together to close 15 communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber while maintaining said opening in its completely exposed condition.

3. A catalytic lighter comprising in combination, a casing comprising two telescopic sections 20 mutually screw threaded for relative movement,v said casing having a fuel chamber, a catalyst mounted in one of said sections for movement therewith, said section having a constantly exposed opening adjacent said catalyst for ex- 25 posing it to a cigarette and to the atmosphere, means affording communication between said catalyst and fuel chamber, means for admitting air into said fuel chamber, and means operable upon screwing said sections together to close 3o communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber and to cut oif admision of air to such chamber while maintaining said opening in its completely exposed condition.

4. A catalytic lighter comprising in combina- 35 tion, a casing having a fuel chamber and comprising two telescopic sections mutually screw threaded for relative movement, a catalyst mounted in one of said sections, said section having an opening adjacent said catalyst for expos- 0 ing it to a cigarette, a tube affording communication between said catalyst and fuel chamber, said section, catalyst and tube being united for movement as a single unit, means for admitting air to said fuel chamber, said tube extending into g5 proximity to a wall of the remaining casing section, whereby upon screwing said sections together said tube contacts said wall and closes communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber.

5. A catalytic lighter comprising in combination, a casing having a fuel chamber and comprising two telescopic sections screw threaded together for relative movement, a catalyst mounted in one of said sections, said section having an 55 opening adjacent said catalyst for exposing it to a cigarette, means affording communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber, one section having air ports affording entry to said fuel chamber and the other section being adapted s0 to be screwed down over such ports, and means operable by such screwing movement to close communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber.

6. A catalytic lighter comprising in combinae5 tion, a casing comprising two telescoped sections screwed together to provide a fuel chamber, one of `said sections having an opening at its outer end, a catalyst adjacent said opening, a tube affording communication between said catalyst 70 and said fuel chamber and having one end thereof located in proximity to a wall of the remaining section, said first named section, catalyst, and tube being united for movement as a single unit, one of said sections having air ports aiford- 76 ing entry to said fuel chamber and the other section being adapted to be screwed down over such ports, said tube and ports being so located that both are closed upon screwing said casing sections together.

7. A catalytic lighter comprising in combina-v tion, a lower casing section open at its upper end only, an upper casing section open at both ends and having its lower end screwed to said lower casing to provide a fuel chamber, a holder rigidly secured adjacent the open upper end of the upper casing, a catalyst in said holder, an. open ended tube rigidly secured to said holder and extending from the under side of said catalyst to the vicinity of the lower end of the lower casing, one of said casings having air ports aiiording entry to said fuel chamber and located in the overlapped screwed portion of said sections, said ports and tube being so positioned that both are closed when said sections are screwed together,

and both are open when said casings are partially unscrewed.

8. A catalytic lighter comprising in combination, a casing having a fuel chamber and comprising two relatively movable telescopic sections, a catalyst mounted in one of said sections, said sections having an opening adjacent said catalyst exposing the latter to the atmosphere and for contact with a cigarette or the like, a tube affording communication between said catalyst and 10 said fuel chamber, said section, catalyst and tube being mounted together as a unitary structure, means for admitting air to said fuel chamber, said tube extending into proximity to an end wall of the second section, whereby upon telescoping 15 said sections together said tube contacts said wall and closes communication between said catalyst and said fuel chamber.

A. M. ANDREWS.

HARRY AARON. 

